 Embarking on your clinical rotations can be both exciting and nerve-racking. To help ensure your success, it's crucial to be prepared. According to our preceptors, here are 13 essential questions to ask before you start your clinicals. Knowing the answers to these can help you prep for success!
1. Is there someone who can orient me, and if so, who will that be? Understanding whether there will be an orientation and who will be responsible if there is one is useful. This person will help you get acquainted with the clinical environment and the expectations. The person orienting you might be the preceptor, a medical assistant, or another student. In some cases, there is no one, and you may just have to jump in and figure things out yourself. It’s great to know this information ahead of time! 2. Will I be able to shadow you, and if so, for how long? Determine the duration and extent of shadowing. This varies based on the student’s experience level and the preceptor’s preference. Clarify this to ensure you’re on the same page. Some preceptors might expect you to jump right in, while others may have a structured shadowing period. 3. Can you describe how you typically precept nurse practitioner students? Understanding the preceptor’s approach is essential. Will you start by shadowing, then conducting patient histories, followed by joint exams and planning with the preceptor? This is a fairly typical approach, but it can really vary from preceptor to preceptor. Especially if you have someone who's never precepted, they might think that you're more prepared than you are. Or, the opposite may be true. Perhaps you've been doing clinicals for a while, and you're ready for more independence, but your preceptor is thinking all you're going to do is shadow. Try to have a conversation and clarify things. 4. What is the typical length of patient visits, and how many patients are seen daily? Know the patient flow to manage your time effectively. You might need to see a specific number of patients per day to meet your program’s requirements. You might need to explain that you need to see at least eight patients a day or one per hour. It all depends on what your requirements are and what the preceptor will allow. 5. Charting: Know what’s expected of students Will you be allowed to chart? It is legal at a Federal level as long as certain protocols are followed, but is it allowed at the site? What is the preferred approach to charting? Will you do mock charting? If the student is allowed to use the EHR, will you receive any kind of EHR training? Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems can vary. Inquire about training and consider doing some preparatory research or watching tutorial videos. 6. Who informs patients an NP student is working with the preceptor? Understand who will notify patients about your involvement in their care. Whether it’s the front office staff, the medical assistant, the preceptor, or yourself, knowing this process is important for a smooth introduction. Occasionally, the student might just pop in and say, “Hi. I’m a nurse practitioner student who’s working with Dr. Smith today. If it’s ok with you, I’ll be starting our visit. Then, Dr. Smith will be in, and we’ll finish together. Would you be comfortable with that?” Someone should ask the patient’s permission, but there are ways to do this and receive a willing response. If you sense hesitation, reassure the patient that it’s ok if they prefer not to have a student during the visit. We need to respect the patient’s wishes. 7. Is there a particular way that you want me to “report” the patient to you? Everyone is different, and it's helpful if you can get a quick explanation of your preceptor’s presentation style preference. (Check out our Resources Page for the Video Vignettes on Precepting link to the NONPF page.) 8. What are the preceptor’s expectations regarding your schedule and attendance? Clarify the preceptor’s schedule expectations. Be prepared to match the preceptor’s hours and avoid frequent absences or early departures. Communicate any necessary schedule changes in advance, but respect the preceptor’s requirements. Students really need to plan their schedules and lives. Here are some frequent complaints we hear from preceptors:
9. Have you precepted a nurse practitioner student before? This question helps gauge the preceptor’s experience with NP students and may influence their teaching style and expectations. If they have only precepted med students or therapy students, there may be a different level of expectation. 10. What is the dress code, and what should I bring? Confirm the required attire and necessary items such as scrubs, lab coats, name tags, lunch, books, apps, a computer, and a notebook. 11. Where should I park? Find out about parking arrangements, including any associated costs and specific locations. 12. What are the most common diagnoses in this practice? I always recommend that you ask the 10 to 20 most common diagnoses that you'll be seeing in the practice. Then, study those so that you know how to take a good history, write a good SOAP note, make an appropriate plan, and know the most commonly used drugs and associated therapeutics for the conditions seen. 13. Is there anything else I should know? This open-ended question can reveal additional expectations or information that can help you better prepare. (Also, check out our Resources Page for the Video Vignettes on Precepting link to the NONPF page.) Preparation is key, so take the initiative and clarify these points with your preceptor. If you think of other important questions, feel free to share them with us. This is "Real-World Precepting"—practical, honest, and designed to set you up for success. Keep on learning and prep for success! About the Author: Lynn McComas, DNP, ANP-C, is an experienced nurse practitioner and an expert on the topic of precepting. Determined to make a difference in “the Preceptor Problem,” Lynn went on to obtain her Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) at the esteemed Duke University, where she focused on finding solutions to the preceptor shortage. She is the owner and founder of PreceptorLink®. The company’s goal is to simplify and streamline the process of preceptor matching while maintaining quality and professionalism throughout.
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Part of the “Real World Precepting Series”  Precepting via telepsych is a transformative approach in psychiatric education, offering numerous advantages over traditional in-person methods. One of the standout benefits is the ability to precept multiple students simultaneously, enhancing the learning experience and optimizing the preceptor's time. Additionally, if it’s allowed by schools, one preceptor can precept multiple students at the same time. Let me share the story of one of our beloved preceptors, KP, who exemplifies the effectiveness of telepsych precepting. Meet KP: A Model Telepsych Preceptor KP is an experienced PMHNP. She owns her own practice and manages both patient care and student precepting entirely through telepsych. Students log in from home on a HIPAA-compliant platform. This method has proven to be highly effective, with students expressing immense satisfaction with their learning experiences under her guidance. Students enjoy the flexibility and enjoy learning from other students in a group-like environment. KP treats a diverse range of patients across the age spectrum, making her practice a rich learning environment. KP typically sees between 8 to 15 patients a day. She is able to precept two to four students at the same time, thanks to the flexibility and efficiency of telepsych. Telepsych allows her to accommodate even more learners, maximizing the educational opportunities for everyone. The Technology Behind Telepsych Precepting KP utilizes a platform called Tebra (formerly known as Kareo), which she praises for its simplicity and efficiency. The platform provides a one-click video link that students can easily log into, facilitating seamless integration into patient visits. KP rates this platform highly, giving it a solid 9 out of 10, based on her extensive experience. KP’s feedback on this platform is unsolicited and purely based on her experience. (PreceptorLink® does not receive anything for recommending the platform, nor do we have personal experience using it. You are encouraged to review different telepsych platforms if you are considering adding telepsych/telepsych precepting to your practice.) KP’s Precepting Approach The precepting process begins with patients giving consent for students to be present during their visits. Once consent is obtained, students can observe and participate in the consultation. Initially, KP leads the sessions, allowing students to ask questions and interact after the visit. As students become more confident and knowledgeable, she gradually allows them to take a more active role, including leading the patient interaction under her supervision. A key element of KP’s teaching style is her use of quizzes on medications and therapeutic approaches post-visit. This method encourages critical thinking and ensures that students are well-prepared for real-world practice. For instance, she might ask questions like, "Why do you think I chose this medication over another?" or "What additional therapeutic approaches could be considered for this patient?" These questions not only reinforce learning but also stimulate deeper clinical reasoning. The Impact of Effective Telepsych Precepting KP's dedication to her students is evident in her interactive and challenging teaching methods. Her approach ensures that students are not only knowledgeable but also capable of applying their knowledge in practical settings. She is highly regarded by her patients, students, and the team at PreceptorLink®, illustrating the profound impact a skilled preceptor can have. She has our highest marks as a preceptor. Embracing Telepsych Precepting in Your Practice Telepsych precepting is a valuable tool for modern psychiatric education. It offers flexibility, efficiency, and the ability to provide high-quality training to multiple students simultaneously. Some clinicians offer only in-office telepsych, where the student is present with the preceptor and/or preceptor’s office. This option, while still valuable to learn, reduces the number of students who can benefit from the opportunity unless they have an available conference room or room where multiple students can sit. By incorporating telepsych into your precepting practices, you can contribute to the development of future psychiatric professionals while maintaining patient care standards. We hope this insight into telepsych precepting is helpful and inspires you to explore its benefits. By embracing this innovative approach, you can enhance your teaching practice and support the next generation of psychiatric clinicians. Keep on learning! Check out our video on this same topic on YouTube! Like, Subscribe, and Share for great precepting and NP/APRN-related content! The PreceptorLink® Difference
At PreceptorLink®, with nearly a decade of experience in preceptor matching, we go beyond simply connecting you with preceptors. We believe in QUALITY. For our NP profession to continue to have positive outcomes, we must ensure quality education. Our goal is to match quality students with quality preceptors to develop quality clinicians. Our founder, Lynn McComas, DNP, ANP-C, has leveraged her extensive experience and contacts as an NP to create our business, educate our team, and design our tech-enabled match-making App. We want to not only connect students with qualified preceptors but also equip them to make the most of this crucial learning phase. We also quant to provide education to help support preceptors. If you need a preceptor, want to become a preceptor, or have a burning question about the nurse practitioner profession, we’re here to help! Lynn and The PreceptorLink® team are experts in the area of precepting and the NP profession. Check out our App, review our How It Works page, or reach out to us at 888-418-6620. www.PreceptorLink.com About the Author: Lynn McComas, DNP, ANP-C, is an experienced nurse practitioner and an expert on the topic of precepting. Determined to make a difference in “the Preceptor Problem,” Lynn went on to obtain her Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) at the esteemed Duke University, where she focused on finding solutions to the preceptor shortage. She is the owner and founder of PreceptorLink®. The company’s goal is to simplify and streamline the process of preceptor matching while maintaining quality and professionalism throughout. |
About Lynn:As a longtime NP with a desire to help and make positive changes to her beloved profession, Lynn often writes opinion pieces about the NP profession. Archives
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